(spline object) and pen
mpam76895_15961369c9
Posts: 294
Taking the model master course where the pen was addressed but something must have been left out. How do I draw an object where once it's completed turns red within? It would seem you need to click something after Each line is drawn, to fix it in place.
But as it is now the lines seem to have lives of their own. So how do I draw a shape using the pen (do you always need to click spline object first to use this?) where the lines are more easily positioned? Hope that makes sense. Like, after I click a line and move to the next the lines will move around and generate extra curves etc etc. I'm just trying to draw lines or circles without all those extra automated manipulations which tend to sabotage the whole thing if you don't what you're doing.
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I don't have the course, so I don't know the tutorial but if you just need to close the shape, after your points are all made, move the tool over the first point and click. This should close the shape. You can then choose the selection tool to fine tune the position of the individual points.
Not quite. Surely you know what I mean. Just tried again but I can't even trace out a triangle.... as once I attempt a second line, all lines start morphing around their centers. It is in No way as simple as tracing out a pattern. I Can't figure out how to simply draw some lines without them taking on lives of their own. As it is it's impossible to draw anything.
Maybe some screen shots would help? I was just modeling on the spline modeler and I had no problem.
I don't have the course, so I don't know the tutorial or the steps he takes you through.
I don't have the tutorial either but I'll take a stab at what you are describing. There is a pen tool and an add curved point tool. When you say that you have the point morphing around itself, it makes me think that the point may be a curved point, and that perhaps you are adding points with the "add curved point" tool, which is a perfectly reasonable thing to do when you want to add curved points. The pen tool is on the left end of the spline top menu. The add curved point tool is toward the right and has a plus symbol in it.
I've made a square in the spline modeler. The point in the lower left corner is a regular point with no handles to morph it on itself. (pen tool). The point in the upper right is a curved point. It has handles to that it can be manipulated to make a curved shape.
Hope this helps.
And don't call EP Shirley (for those of you who have seen Airplane)
Ha! :lol: I should have picked up on that, as I watched Airplane a couple weeks ago!
Surely your screen shots will help the OP. ;-)
Hold it. I just read your post more closely. "It would seem you need to click something after Each line is drawn, to fix it in place." No, you don't need to click on your line again to hold it in place. Maybe you were adding a point back on a line that was already in place.
1) Open a new empty scene. Carrara starts you in the assembly room.
2) Drag the spline icon (looks like a wine glass) from the top menu to the instances tray (box in lower right).
3) Carrara opens the spline modeler. You are still viewing it from the directors camera. It might be easier to view from the front camera just to eliminate the possibility of confusion with lines in the side panels.
4) In the upper left, click camera, and choose "front." You will now see the drawing plane as a flat grid.
5) Make sure the pen tool is selected.
6) Left click on the drawing plane to start a triangle. Move the cursor to draw and left-click again. Carrara will connect the two points with a line.
7) Left click a third point for the triangle. You should have two lines now.
8) Move the cursor back over your first point. Left-click to close the triangle.
9) The triangle model is closed and will fill in with red.
10) Click on the camera menu again and choose "directors camera." You can now edit both the triangle shape on the drawing plane and the extrusion of the triangle outward along the purple path.
That is why was hoping for some screen shots. I'm not sure where the OP is in his project, what tool is being used, etc.
"And that's the way it is..." So easy, but for that little item of not actually having to trace out anything, Doh. It's clicking points as to literally tracing lines. Silly me as I've seen this before in other programs. Thank yous.
As for Airplane. ?
Actually, I'll always remember the little scene where Stack says, "Let's be serious here!" - while pulling off his glasses only to reveal another set of glasses.
In that course, Waldo addresses identical procedures in carrera, hex and wings. So, we are in a strong sense testing to see which is more conducive to my own quirks. I think hex or wings might be better for just modeling. But I'm glad to have gotten this far as without tutorials........
In any case, I think ALL programs should allow for font size adjustment!!! Have mercy on our eyes.
Seeing I'm here... are there any free libraries of hdri's? Am I right in thinking these are simply pics imported in such a way as to be positioned as panoramic backgrounds? That I can take a pic of anything and import as hdri? Getting ahead of ourselves but ain't it cool.
If you feel you got your answer, carry on. However, if the tutorial was showing similar features for both Hexagon and Carrara (and Lightwave), it may actually have been using Carrara's vertex modeler, not spline.
Danger - potentially unnecessary complication ahead.
In the vertex modeler, there is a polyline tool. Using similar steps as above, one can open the vertex modeler, use the front camera to see a flat drawing grid, and then select the polyline tool to begin drawing a shape. Once again, click on the first point to close a shape. Then hit enter to complete the shape. In the vertex modeler, the closed shape will not fill in with red automatically because there are other uses for polylines besides making shapes. One can fill the shape in by selecting all of the points of the shape and then using the "Model" : "Fill Polygon" choices from the top menu (or the hot key for "fill" is ctrl F").
I am going to have to see Airplane again soon. There are so many quotable lines.
I know there are some free hdri libraries, but I don't recall the names or links. You may get more responses to that question by posting a topic about it.
An hdri is more than just a panoramic image. HDRI is an acronym for something like High Dynamic Range Image. What it is, is a bunch of exposures at different light levels that are combined to mimic the sensitivity to light as our own eyes. With a traditional photo, you adjust your exposure depending on the light. If you're outside, a tree's shadow will look deep and very dark if you adjust the exposure so as not to blow out the brights. Because the hdri is comprised of images of three or more exposures, set for shadows, brightness, etc. you don't have that problem.
For 3D work, a hdri is generally a spherical image that wraps around the universe. When used in Carrara, it would go in the scene's Background slot. Carrara can use it as an IBL (Image Based Light) when the Skylight option is enabled in the render room.
An Hdri gives a nice light (depending on the quality of the hdri) with diffuse shadows, I recommend using a distant light to provide highlights, though you don't need it set much above 50%. Each scene is different, so you may need it brighter or dimmer. Also, turn off the scene's ambient light.
All that being said, if you want to use a standard picture format, such as .png or .jpg in the Background, or even a plain color or color gradient, they can also be used as an IBL when the Skylight is enabled. It just won't be as dynamic or accurate. I do recommend using a spherical image, particularly if it will be visible.
Speaking of visible, Carrara will wrap the image around the universe so it will be visible and generate reflections in reflective surfaces. To hide whatever you have in the Background (but not the reflections), you can put an image in the Backdrop slot. The image would be a normal format image- not spherical- and should be the same aspect as your render. The other option to hide the Background image is to render your image with an alpha channel in a format that supports alphas, such as .png, .tiff, Photoshop, etc. and composite your own background in your image editing app of choice.
If you use the Realistic sky and enable the Skylight, it will also behave like an IBL.
The car picture uses a high resolution image in the Background with the Skylight enabled to so it behaves as an IBL. I have a distant light to provide highlights and act as the sunlight.
The A3 picture uses a slightly off-white in the scene's Background and the Skylight to make it like an IBL. I used a spot light for highlights.
The landscape uses the Realistic Sky and the Skylight as an IBL. I also have a Sunlight which is basically a distant light tied to the Realistic Sky editor (RSE).
Wow, great stuff, EP. I agree that there should be another thread that just discusses HDRIs. You have a lot of great nuggets in your post, not just about the availability of HDRIs, but also about methods of use and alternatives. Your response here should be at the top of the new thread. Is there a way to ask an Admin to set that up?
http://www.hdrlabs.com/sibl/archive.html
Thanks for the link!
I looked through that but didn't see mention of other (say DAZ) programs. Although there were tech convolutions there is it possible to just download whatever pic strikes you and import into whatever program? The how it works page makes it appear quite involved. But again, that seems to be geared for advanced users who want to tweak the actual sets.